Marry Me
by Maia Me
Summary: "And now it is my turn to leave. Her lips were soft and warm. As time passed, I grew so used to the comfort they brought me, but now they only bring me pain to think of."


I sit in the front row of the deserted theater. It has been hours since the movie ended. But I sit here like I did, all those years ago. The night I first met her, the love of my life. Now she is as good as gone and my life is the same

And now it is my turn to leave.

That night we talked in here until the cleaning man told us to leave. But we didn't care. We went to a café and talked until three in the morning. Even then I was sad to see her get out of the car and disappear through the door of her apartment building. I remember sitting there a few moments before she came running out. I figured she forgot something, and she did.

A goodbye kiss.

Her lips were soft and warm. As time passed, I grew so used to the comfort they brought me, but now they only bring me pain to think of.

I stand from my chair and walk down the hallway; the janitor sighs and walks through the doors into the empty room. His glare holds stiff and reminds me of hers. But I refuse to think of this for more than a second. My car smells of cinnamon, her favorite. This infuriates me. It's been a month and she still haunts everything of mine. I tear it off the mirror angrily and throw it through the open window of my run down truck. I'll buy a new one tomorrow before leaving

.

I shuffle into the large apartment. My roommate, Finnick, moved out a couple weeks ago. His fiancée Annie is expecting a baby, so the wedding is moved up. They wanted to live together for a while beforehand anyway.

I have been slowly moving out to keep people away. Especially her, we haven't talked since that night. Tonight though, I take out my final box. It has my art supplies inside. I lock the trailer up securely before jogging back up to my room. I stare at the shoebox I decided to leave behind when I first decided to leave. I open the lid and examine the contents. Our sheets that we slept in those many cold December nights. She'll receive them along with the rest of our things before I leave. I know there are things she wants to forget as well.

For example, the silver watch she gave me for Christmas last year. I wore this every day before the break. There are many other things in the box: letters, a beer cap from New Year's Eve, shoelace, and many more simple items that would mean nothing to most people. To us, they were the most amazing things we had. I shuffle around in the box until I find it. Sorrow-filled anger rushes through me.

The wedding ring attached to the note that split us up. The conversation bounces against my skull, threatening to burst it open.

_I don't understand why you're so upset with me. It's a simple question. _

_If it such a simple question then why are you not answering it?_

_Because, I don't think we're ready for something this big yet. _

_You don't think we're ready for it or you don't _want_ to be ready for it? We've been doing this dance for six years, and I'm getting tired of this question always coming up and this happening. It stops here, Katniss. _

Her pained expression flashes before me, and I miss it no matter how hard I try to say otherwise. I have to get away from this feeling.

I slam the lid back on the box and set my keys on the table. The owner will collect them in the morning. Katniss' will know I'm gone in the morning. I clear my mind and say silent goodbyes to the place I have lived in for so long.

I open the door and almost trip over the petite form that falls into my entry way. She must have been sitting against the door. Stare down at her in disbelief I notice how sad she looks. Her hair is hanging in wet clumps and looks like she has been running.

Katniss stands up, avoiding my gaze with a guilty expression. "So you're running now? I thought that was my thing." A smirk plays on her lips, but she forces it away. "I didn't think that's how you worked. Apparently there are a lot of things we don't know about each other."

"I s'pose," I grumble back. I shuffle my feet back and forth. Her shoelace is untied and I bend down to retie it. She looks startled by the gesture but accepts it.

"Peeta, please don't do this. I don't have anything without you."

I shake my head in disbelief. She is _not _going to play this card. Nothing she can say or do will make me change my mind about this one. I've been through to much pain.

"Katniss—"

"No." She cries, tears streaming down her face. "You can't leave me again, not like this."

"I'm not—"

"Just stop it, now!" She spits back. "You are and you know it!" Her voice dies out on the last word. She looks at me pitifully. "I love you."

I look at her in shock. The last time I saw her she wouldn't marry me but now she says she loves me. "You never make up your mind do you." I say holding in a chuckle. Within seconds she stands and forces her lips to mine.

"No, I'm sorry, but no." I say as backing away.

"Peeta, you leave and take my heart with you, I thought you said you loved me,"

"Goodbye, Katniss." I push past her, holding my own tears in. I get in my car and start it. I see her hop on to my fire escape and brace myself for the harsh words.

"Marry me, Peeta!" She shouts as she throws something towards me. It lands in the back of my truck and I open the door to see. Lying in the rust is the ring.

_Peeta, don't do this. Don't make a mistake. _

_I already did and now I'm paying for it._

Those words echo in my head as I suck in a breath. "Yes," I yell. She climbs down the ladder and runs to me as I do the same. We embrace and she runs her hands through my hair.

"Well then, let's get your stuff into my apartment." She says as we walk to the back of the truck. I grasp her hand and she smiles. I have missed this.


End file.
